The Science of Burning Fat

Fat plays an integral role in the health of your body, especially in relation to cell activity and the overall creation of energy. However, too much fat can contribute to problems with obesity, which can increase your risks for diseases ranging from heart disease to even some forms of cancer. As such, it's important to exercise to keep fat storage on the body under control by burning away excess fat.

Fat is stored in your body when you take in more calories through the foods you consume than your body can burn for energy. The fatty acids and fat molecules are stored in cells that make up your adipose tissue. Adipose tissue is mostly found under the skin--commonly referred to as subcutaneous fat--as well as above the kidneys and in the liver. In order to remove excess fat from these storage areas, the body must burn the fat through activities such as exercise or other physical activity.

When you burn more calories than you consume, your body turns to fat storage as an alternative fuel to break down and burn for energy. This breakdown occurs through a process called lipolysis. During lipolysis hormones are created in the pancreas, pituitary gland and adrenal gland that activate lipases to break down your fat storage into glycerol and fatty acids.

Once the fat has been broken down into glycerol and fatty acids, the next step is conversion to acetyl-CoA. The fatty acids are converted through a process called beta-oxidation, while the glycerol is converted through a process called glycolysis. The acetyl-CoA then moves into a process called the Krebs cycle, which removes hydrogen and carbon dioxide from the acetyl-CoA. The hydrogen is then combined with oxygen provided by the bloodstream to create energy in the cells.

Once energy is created, heat and the waste products, such as water and carbon dioxide, are all that remain of the broken down fat. The heat is used to maintain your body's temperature. The carbon dioxide is placed back into your bloodstream so it can move toward the lungs where it is eliminated from the body when you exhale. The water is excreted through both your sweat and urine.